After the successful conclusion of IPL, when all the viewers were experiencing an entertainment vacuum, the tri-series in Bangladesh is bringing cheers back! For last few days the TV seemed a real idiot box good for nothing!

Now with more cricket on anvil, the fans will again fight for the remotes! Now when fans have watched Indians and Pakistanis playing together in same teams, today will be the day of resurgence of that old cricket rivalry!

The two teams are meeting today to bring entertainment back to our bed rooms! The two teams are title contenders in the tri-series, so both will be looking for the chance to outplay each other.

Many Pakistani players are coming off an extended rest, on the other hand, Indian players have already over worked this cricket season. The good news is that Indian team is in top gear with some of the leading players in very good form.

Another good news is that Dhoni has lost just one series since being handed captaincy (against Australia) but it would require his side to stop a side coming off a 12-game winning streak.

This series will also provide opportunities to the young Indian players to cement their place in the national team as they gear up to open the campaign in the Kitply Cup tri-series.

Geoff Lawson, the Pakistan coach, eyes at a victory to boost the confidence of the team. The result of today’s match may not have a bearing on the finalists in this tournament but the confidence coming with every single victory will be crucial for the upcoming Asia Cup and Champions Trophy!

On the Indian side, despite Sachin Tendulkar’s absence, Dhoni leads a versatile side with many options available. It will be interesting to see what opening combination India tries.

It will be a big temptation to send Yusuf Pathan for his one-day debut, especially after his sparkling performances in the recent IPL. His explosive batting skills will no doubt come in handy lower down the order. He is the man who can set the pitch on fire with his strokes even under pressure.

This was proved more than once when he took his team the Rajasthan to great victories! For Robin Uthappa and Gautam Gambhir, here is a chance to establish themselves as a formidable and attacking opening pair.

On the balling side Ishant Sharma would be expected to take the new ball and there could be a toss up between RP Singh and Praveen Kumar to share it. Piyush Chawla would lead a spin department with Yusuf, Yuvraj Singh and Sehwag providing back-up.

Virender Sehwag did not make it to the pre-match practice session here on Monday, as he was suffering from fever. Coach Gary Kirsten, however, was confident about Sehwag recovering in time.

On the other hand Pakistan will seek to extend its streak of 12 successive ODI wins that began with a victory over India in fifth game at Kanpur last year. Apart from leg-spinner Shahid Afridi, Pakistan does not have too many options in this department. So Indian batsmen will try to make best out of it. The pace bowlers like Umar Gul may prove beneficial for Pak side.

Tanvir is also a hard nut to crack as displayed in IPL. Wahab Riaz is a zestful left-armer with possibilities. His rhythmic action and pace has already caught the eye. India’s young bowlers like Piyush Chawla also face a big challenge. How will they bowl to the likes of Salman Butt, Younis Khan, Mohammed Yousuf and Misbah-ul-Haq. After his heroics in Australia, paceman Ishant Sharma also faces real test of skill and character.

Other than anything else, it continues to be cloudy here and this may prove helpful to the swing bowlers. The swing bowlers like Praveen Kumar or Irfan Pathan or Pakistan’s Sohail Tanvir might utilize the conditions.

Indeed, apart from the occasional big hits, hard running will be critical. On this slow surface, the batsmen might not get much pace on the ball. Rotating the strike will be crucial.

The teams (from): India: M.S. Dhoni (captain), V. Sehwag, G. Gambhir, R. Uthappa, Y. Singh, R. Sharma, Y. Pathan, I. Pathan, P. Chawla, P. Kumar, I. Sharma, S. Raina, R.P. Singh, M. Gony, P. Ojha.

Pakistan: S. Malik (captain), S. Butt, K. Akmal, Y. Khan, M. Yousuf, Misbah, S. Afridi, S. Tanvir, F. Alam, U. Gul, W. Riaz, Naumanullah, B. Khan, S. Khan, N. Jamshed, I. Anjum.